brakes CHEVROLET EPICA 2004 1.G User Guide

Remember: Anti-lock does not change the time you
need to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always
decrease stopping distance. If you get too close to
the vehicle in front of you, you will not have time to apply
your brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops.
Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even
though you have anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
firmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may hear the
anti-lock pump or motor operate, and feel the brake pedal
pulsate, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Traction Control System (TCS)
Your vehicle may have a Traction Control System (TCS)
that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in
slippery road conditions. The system operates only if it
senses that one or both of the front wheels are spinning
or beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the
system works the front brakes to limit wheel spin.
This light will come on
briefly when the ignition
is turned to ON along
with the anti-lock brake
system warning light.
This light will blink when
your Traction Control
System is limiting
wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this is
normal. This light will also come on when the anti-lock
brake system is working.
4-8

Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective than
braking. For example, you come over a hill and find a
truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls out
from nowhere, or a child darts out from between parked
cars and stops right in front of you. You can avoid these
problems by braking — if you can stop in time. But
sometimes you can not; there is not room. That is the
time for evasive action — steering around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes. SeeBraking on page 4-6.
It is better to remove as much speed as you can from a
possible collision. Then steer around the problem, to the
left or right depending on the space available.
An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended 9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can turn
it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing either
hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and just as
quickly straighten the wheel once you have avoided
the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving
at all times and wear safety belts properly.
4-11

Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes,
steering and acceleration) do not have enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do what the driver
has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to steer
and constantly seek an escape route or area of less
danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not “overdriving”
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
are not rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much
throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.Remember: Any traction control system helps avoid only
the acceleration skid. If your TCS system is off, then
an acceleration skid is also best handled by easing your
foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety,
you will want to slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try your
best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or braking
(including engine braking by shifting to a lower gear).
Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide. You
may not realize the surface is slippery until your vehicle is
skidding. Learn to recognize warning clues — such as
enough water, ice or packed snow on the road to make
a “mirrored surface” — and slow down when you have
any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
4-14

The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if your
windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy rain
can make it harder to see road signs and traffic signals,
pavement markings, the edge of the road and even
people walking.
It is wise to keep your windshield wiping equipment in
good shape and keep your windshield washer tank filled
with washer fluid. Replace your windshield wiper inserts
when they show signs of streaking or missing areas on
the windshield, or when strips of rubber start to separate
from the inserts.Driving too fast through large water puddles or even
going through some car washes can cause problems,
too. The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid
puddles. But if you can not, try to slow down before you
hit them.
{CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They will not
work as well in a quick stop and may cause
pulling to one side. You could lose control of
the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water
or a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly
until your brakes work normally.
4-17

If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
•Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system
and transaxle. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
•Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of
the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you
go down a steep or long hill.
{CAUTION:
If you do not shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even none going
down a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let
your engine assist your brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
{CAUTION:
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down. They could
get so hot that they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could crash. Always have
your engine running and your vehicle in gear
when you go downhill.
•Know how to go uphill. Drive in the highest gear
possible.
•Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Do not swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
•As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could
be something in your lane, like a stalled car or an
accident.
•You may see highway signs on mountains that warn
of special problems. Examples are long grades,
passing or no-passing zones, a falling rocks area or
winding roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate
action.
4-23

Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road.
Even though you have the anti-lock braking system,
you will want to begin stopping sooner than you would
on dry pavement. SeeBraking on page 4-6.
•Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
•Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that is covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun can not reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass
may remain icy when the surrounding roads are
clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake
before you are on it. Try not to brake while you are
actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steering
maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near help
and you can hike through the snow. Here are some things
to do to summon help and keep yourself and your
passengers safe:
•Turn on your hazard flashers.
•Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you have been stopped by the snow.
4-26

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle..............................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specifications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling Your Tank............................................5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-10
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-17
Automatic Transaxle Fluid..............................5-19
Engine Coolant.............................................5-19
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-21
Engine Overheating.......................................5-22
Cooling System............................................5-24
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-30
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-31
Brakes........................................................5-32Battery........................................................5-35
Jump Starting...............................................5-36
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-40
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-41
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-41
Headlamps..................................................5-41
Front Turn Signal Lamps...............................5-43
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL).........5-44
Parking Lamps.............................................5-45
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps.........................................5-46
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-47
Tires..............................................................5-48
Inflation - Tire Pressure.................................5-53
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-54
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-55
Buying New Tires.........................................5-56
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-57
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-58
Wheel Replacement......................................5-59
Tire Chains..................................................5-60
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-61
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-62
Spare Tire...................................................5-68
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

A. Engine Coolant Surge Tank. SeeCooling System on
page 5-24.
B. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 5-30.
C. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. SeeWindshield
Washer Fluid on page 5-31.
D. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
E. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
F. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” under
Brakes on page 5-32.
G. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-17.
H. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-35.
I. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. See “Engine
Compartment Fuse Block” underFuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-79.Engine Oil
If the oil pressure light
appears on the instrument
cluster, it means you
need to check your engine
oil level right away.
For more information, seeOil Pressure Light on
page 3-42.
You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is
an added reminder.
5-13

Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is located near the
back of the engine compartment on the driver’s side
of the vehicle. It is filled with DOT-3 brake fluid.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-12.
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level
in the reservoir might go down. The first is that the brake
fluid goes down to an acceptable level during normal
brake lining wear. When new linings are put in, the fluid
level goes back up. The other reason is that fluid is
leaking out of the brake system. If it is, you should
have your brake system fixed, since a leak means that
sooner or later your brakes will not work well, or will
not work at all.
So, it is not a good idea to “top off” your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid will not correct a leak. If you add fluid
when your linings are worn, then you will have too
much fluid when you get new brake linings. You should
add (or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic system.
{CAUTION:
If you have too much brake uid, it can spill on
the engine. The uid will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
uid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
When your brake fluid
falls to a low level,
your brake warning
light will come on.
SeeBrake System
Warning Light on
page 3-35.
What to Add
When you do need brake/clutch fluid, use only DOT-3
brake fluid. Use new brake fluid from a sealed container
only. SeePart D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 6-24.
5-32

Always clean the brake/clutch fluid reservoir cap and the
area around the cap before removing it. This will help
keep dirt from entering the reservoir.
{CAUTION:
With the wrong kind of uid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work at all. This could cause a
crash. Always use the proper brake uid.
Notice:
Using the wrong uid can badly damage brake
system parts. For example, just a few drops
of mineral-based oil, such as engine oil, in your
brake system can damage brake system parts
so badly that they will have to be replaced.
Do not let someone put in the wrong kind
of uid.
If you spill brake uid on your vehicle’s
painted surfaces, the paint nish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake uid on
your vehicle. If you do, wash it off immediately.
SeeAppearance Care on page 5-68.
Brake Wear
Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that
make a high-pitched warning sound when the brake
pads are worn and new pads are needed. The sound
may come and go or be heard all the time your vehicle
is moving (except when you are pushing on the
brake pedal firmly).
{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon your brakes will not work well. That
could lead to an accident. When you hear the
brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle
serviced.
Notice:Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result in costly brake repair.
5-33